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Last Party

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Bitter Springs

The Last Party were a British indie band formed Teddington, London, in 1985, although their history stretches back to the band No Trains At The Bay, which the members formed at school in 1978, and who had a song called "The Last Party". One of their earliest gigs was in support of The Sound, their original drummer Steve Infield being a housemate of The Sound's bass player Graham Bailey. They released their debut album on their own Harvey label the following year. They were the support act at the Stone Roses' first London gig, at the Greyhound in Fulham.

In 1995, the band members at the time (singer Simon Rivers, bass player Daniel Ashkenazy, Kim Ashford, and Neil Palmer) decided on a new name, The Bitter Springs, changing their name "in the hope that journalists who had ignored the Last Party would give us another listen". The debut release under this new name, the Addison Brothers EP, featured Vic Godard, and the Bitter Springs enjoyed a long association with Godard, acting as his backing band, the Subway Sect, for nine years, also contributing to studio recordings including Godard's Blackpool album, where Godard and the Bitter Springs provide musical backing to lyrics by Irvine Welsh.

The Bitter Springs themselves have released six studio albums, including Benny Hill's Wardrobe, which was "album of the month" in MOJO and rated at 4.5 out of 5 by Melody Maker, the latest being That Sentimental Slush in 2006, described as "an exhilirating [sic], exuberant bomb blast of an album". Allmusic's Stewart Mason described the album as "entirely typical of the band's output, showing both their strengths and weaknesses", and noted Rivers' "wry sense of humor and an eye for romantic futility". Lyricist and singer Simon Rivers has also performed solo, the first time in 2007 supporting The Band of Holy Joy.

Links to Peel[]

Peel seemed to have discovered the group in early 1987 when they released their debut single, Mr. Hurst. He later invited them a month or so, their debut session, which was recorded in March 1987, where they performed four songs. Another session from the band was also recorded for Peel's show in January 1989. When the band changed their name to The Bitter Springs, Peel inititially didn't seem to play their new material until sometime in 1997, where he played their latest single as well as tracks from their 1998 album, Five Die Filming This Lazy Lark.

Sessions[]

LAST_PARTY_John_Peel_3rd_January_1989

LAST PARTY John Peel 3rd January 1989

Last Party

1. Recorded: 1987-03-17. First Broadcast: 30 March 1987. Repeated: 14 April 1987

  • Bigger Things / Autumn Acre / Don't Even Consider It / Tin Foil Mountain

2. Recorded: 1989-01-03. First Broadcast: 09 January 1989. Repeated: 14 February 1989

  • Purple Hazel / A Full English Breakfast / Platforms And Trains / Creature Lake

Other Shows Played[]

Last_Party_-_Mr_Hurst_1987

Last Party - Mr Hurst 1987

Last Party
It's_Business

It's Business

Bitter Springs

External Links[]

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